What is the rule of perspective all about?

The rules of perspective is a technique applied in drawing and painting to give an otherwise flat surface or imagery a sense of depth. It's a fantastic skill to learn and master as you are able to make your drawings and paintings look super realistic and accurate!

Start learning how to create the illusion of distance and depth by getting yourself familiar with these three rules.

One-point perspective

​This is the rule of perspective that is the simplest of all the three rules. A working definition of this principle can be summarized by Dictionary.com. Read on:

…a mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by means of intersecting lines that are drawn vertically and horizontally and that radiate from one point on a horizon line…

Photo source: www.olejarz.com

​Sounds complicated? Not to worry!

What the one-point perspective is saying is how things appear smaller as they get further away, meeting towards a vanishing point on the horizon line. Simply put, it's the easiest way to make a flat piece of paper look 3D or realistic.

The one-point perspective rule applies when your subject is viewed on the front (like a side of a cube or a face looking directly at you) or if you want your audience to look directly down something long. It's a pretty common rule too when drawing rooms, roads and landscapes as it provides a truly realistic feel. Check out the examples below we found from the net for inspiration.

Two-point Perspective

​This rule applies when your drawing or painting contains two vanishing points in very arbitrary locations along the horizon line. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has this for a definition:

(It is a) linear perspective in which parallel lines along the width and depth of an object are represented as meeting at two separate points on the horizon that are 90 degrees apart as measured from the common intersection of the lines of projection.

​The creation of a two-point perspective starts by defining your horizon line, which represents the line that separates the sky from the ground. This line also represents the "line of sight" for your audience.

After establishing your horizon line, you need to put in next your vanishing points. When making your vanishing points, just think about the point on the line where you want objects to start disappearing visa vie the distance you are trying to include in your drawing.

​Check out the following two-point perspective drawings for inspiration:

Photo source: wwww.pinterest.com

Photo source: www.gogi665.deviantart.com

​​Watch this drawing guide too that we found from YouTube. It's 12 minutes long, but we think it's worth your while.

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Three-point perspective

This is a little trickier than the other two we just discussed. This rule of perspective includes two vanishing points on a horizon line with a third one above or below the horizon where all vertical lines lead to.

Sounds complicated? Here's an illustration of what we're trying to say.

Photo source: www.craftsy.com

Three-point perspective is applied when rendering objects - buildings, skylines, cityscapes seen at an aerial view or ground perspective. Whe the third vanishing point is placed on the ground, that's coming from an ant perspective. Conversely, if the third vanishing point is placed high above, that's coming from a bird's eyeview.

Photo source: www.archilibs.com

​Here's a relaxing video on how to draw city using the three-point perspective.

Now's your turn!

Rules of perspective are one of the core skills you need to learn and master. Especially if you are preparing for your fine arts examinations in the future, the best time to get started whether to learn or master it is now.

Here at Art Smart, we follow the rule 2 to 1 ratio, meaning 2 students to 1 teacher to ensure students receive proper attention, instruction and guidance.

Kindly check our 2017 schedule of art classes to know the date and time convenient for you.

Call us at 0915-5948191, 0917-8784766 or (02)7886766 for inquiries or class bookings.